"the beginning and the end"

Arghhh…"

Inside the grand palace, Varen jolted awake, gasping for breath. His red, bloodshot eyes darted around, haunted by the vision that still clung to his mind.

"Damn it… Did that boy use an illusion? What was that power? How does he possess celestial energy without even awakening his bloodline? And how in the world is he still alive after 100 years without practice?"

Varen sat frozen in fear, his heart racing as he struggled to calm his nerves. After a moment, he shouted, "Fendrick!"

The door creaked open, and a man in his forties stepped in, wearing a spotless black suit like that of a noble's butler. Bowing respectfully, he said, "At your service, sir."

"What the hell happened back there?"

Fendrick's face tensed at the question. How was he supposed to say that his master had fainted in terror before a child who had just awoken from a coma?

"Speak freely. Don't hesitate."

Noticing his butler's hesitation, Varen gestured sharply for him to continue. Fendrick exhaled and spoke carefully, "When you were looking at the child, you suddenly started screaming—panicked—and then… you lost consciousness."

Seeing that Varen wasn't angry, Fendrick added, "Afterward, the boy insulted the elders, picked up his sister and mother, and left."

Varen's brow twitched. "And?"

"His actions will attract followers... And if he gains support—"

"Enough. Leave."

Varen cut him off coldly. Fendrick bowed low, retreating from the room and closing the door behind him. Alone, Varen's face twisted with fury.

"Damn it... As I thought—this boy is dangerous. I can't let him meet that person."

The moment Fendrick left, Varen's composed façade shattered. He yanked on his clothes and stormed out of the room, muttering under his breath, "Hmph… Just wait, boy. Let's see who dies first."

Varen marched through the palace halls until he reached a side chamber buried under years of dust and cobwebs, untouched by servants for decades. With a sharp yank, he tore the old rug from the floor, revealing a hidden red button.

Without a second thought, he slammed it.

"Creak… Creak…"

The floor groaned, and a hidden hatch opened slowly, revealing a spiral staircase descending into darkness. Varen sucked in a sharp breath, steeling himself before plunging down the steps.

At the bottom, he reached a large underground chamber, where a towering black door loomed ahead.

"Didn't I tell you not to disturb me unless it was something important? Do you have any idea what it means to interrupt my training?"

A thunderous voice erupted from behind the door, shaking the very walls. Varen trembled as cold sweat trickled down his spine. Falling to his knees, he stammered, "M-Master… Please, calm down! Something… something has happened—something I wouldn't dare interrupt your training for otherwise."

A brief silence followed, thick with menace. Then came a low growl, "Speak. But if it's nothing of significance, you'll pay dearly."

Swallowing hard, Varen whispered, "A dangerous figure has emerged..."

He recounted everything that had transpired in the palace hall.

"Are you seriously asking me to deal with a child?" the voice thundered from behind the door. "Do you have a death wish, Varen?"

The pressure in the room grew suffocating, cracking the walls under its weight. Varen, still kneeling, trembled but forced himself to continue, "That boy… He's the general's son."

"What?!"

The crushing pressure vanished instantly, leaving an eerie silence. After a moment, the voice behind the door asked in a low, dangerous tone, "Why haven't I heard of him before?"

"A hundred years ago, the boy was part of the team sent to explore the Great Pyramid. But no one knew what happened—he returned in a coma and has been unconscious ever since."

"How… How did this boy awaken his bloodline a century ago?"

"He didn't, Master. Yet his strength was terrifying—especially his physical prowess. If left unchecked, he could surpass even the general."

"How can he survive without celestial energy for a hundred years? All untrained humans are long dead. What is going on?!"

The voice behind the door muttered to itself, clearly baffled. After a moment, it rumbled with dark amusement, "So… he must have uncovered the secret of the pyramid. Hahaha… If I claim that secret for myself, our goal will finally be within reach."

In the dilapidated shack, Isis and her mother, Serine, slept deeply, their exhausted faces reflecting the hardships they had endured. Meanwhile, Jowalin sat silently on the floor, lost in thought.

"I thought this era would be peaceful, given that it's the final one before the end of the world... but I was wrong."

His eyes darkened. "Father's disappearance... It's not as simple as it seems. This fake peace was crafted to create a generation of the weak."

He sighed quietly and glanced at his sleeping sister and mother. Isis stirred in her sleep, murmuring, "Brother… Please, don't leave us again."

Jowalin's heart clenched, but his gaze turned resolute,

"If I want to protect them, I must take control of the world once more."

Determination flashed in his eyes, turning cold and merciless,

"I've dominated eras and slain countless foes… Yet now, my mother suffers because of scum unworthy of her presence."

He steadied himself, took a deep breath, and examined his soul within his body.

"Hmm… Just as I suspected. My body hasn't aged past twenty."

He traced the age of his bones to confirm his suspicions. Then, his gaze landed on the dim black ring on his finger.

"This ring... It must have frozen time in my body. Without it, I would have withered long ago."

Jowalin chuckled bitterly,

"To everyone else, I'm 120 years old, but my body remains twenty. And my soul? It has endured for millions—no, billions of years."

He clenched his fists,

"If I want to start training again, I'll have to awaken my bloodline. That's the only way… without it, cultivation is impossible."

Bloodlines were passed down from ancient ancestors, and those fortunate enough to inherit them gained immense power. Some humans even carried the mixed blood of non-human creatures, granting them monstrous strength.

"But if I awaken my bloodline here… everything will crumble. The lightning phenomenon alone could annihilate this entire country."

Jowalin stood, opened the door, and stepped outside, his gaze fixed on the towering silhouette in the distance—the Great Pyramid.

"I have no choice... I must go there."